898 GALACACEAE 
FAMILY 7. GALACACEAE Small. GALAX FAMILY. 
Perennial scapose herbs. Leaves alternate, basal, few, not crowded, without 
stipules : blades ieathery, merely toothed, relatively broad. Flowers perfect, 
solitary or in a terminal raceme. Calyx of 5 partially united sepals, persistent. 
Corolla white, of 5 partially united petals. Androecium of 5 stamens. Fila- 
ments united below. Staminodia 5, partially adnate to the corolla and some- 
times to the filaments. Gynoecium of 3 united carpels. Ovary superior, 3- 
celled, free. Styles united. Stigma 3-lobed. Ovules numerous in each cavity 
of the ovary. Fruit a loculicidally 3-valved capsule. Seeds minute. 
Flowers solitary : corolla-lobes erose: staminodia distinct at the base of the corolla-tube. 1. SHORTIA. 
Flowers in elongated racemes: corolla-lobes entire: staminodia united to the filaments ies 
. GALAX. 
1. SHÓRTIA T. & G. 
Evergreen scapose herbs, perennial by slender branching rootstocks. Leaves persistent : 
blades toothed, cordate or truncate at the base, lustrous : petioles elongated, dilated at the 
base. Scapesoften scaly, simple, each topped with a nodding flower. Calyx-lobes 5, strongly 
imbricated, those of the outer and inner series dissimilar, striate-nerved. Corolla white or 
pink: tube campanulate : lobes 5, imbricated, more or less spreading, strongly erose at the 
apex. Stamens 5: filaments distinct above, short: anther-sacs opening obliquely. Stami- 
nodia 5, scale-like, on the base of the corolla-tube. Ovary 3-celled : stigma obscurely 3- ' 
lobed. Ovules numerous, inserted in axile placentae. Capsule 3-celled, loculicidally 3- 
valved. Seeds in three rows, the testa granular. 
1. Shortia galacifólia T. & G.  Acaulescent, glabrous. Leaves basal; blades 
leathery, oval to suborbicular, 1-7 cm. long, rounded or emarginate at the apex, crenate- 
dentate with more or less mucronate teeth, truncate or cordate at the base, lustrous above; 
etioles much longer than the blades: scapes 5-15 cm. tall, from a set of acuminate 1m- 
ecated bracts, simple, naked or with several thin scales near the top: calyx glabrous; 
lobes unequal, oblong or ovate-oblong, often 'becoming broadly lanceolate, 1-10 mm. long, 
obtuse or acutish, finely ribbed in age: corolla white, 2-3 cm. broad; lobes obovate or 
broadly cuneate, coarsely erose or erose-laciniate, longer than the tube: stamens included : 
staminodia ovate, barely 3 as long as the tube: style exserted : capsules ovoid, 5-6 mm. 
long, surrounded by the sepals. 
Near mountain streams, North Carolina and South Carolina. Spring. SHORTIA. 
2. GALAX L. 
Acaulescent herbs, perennial by colored horizontal scaly rootstocks. Leaves basal, 
persistent : blades thick, suborbicular, crenate, palmately-nerved, cordate : petioles elon- 
gated somewhat sheathing at the base. Scapes erect, naked. Flowers in dense elongated 
spike-like racemes, short-pedicelled. Bracts small, deciduous. Calyx-lobes 5, imbricated, 
nerveless, persistent. Corolla white, with a short tube and 5 entire spreading lobes. 
Stamens 5: filaments spatulate, united below with 5 alternating spatulate staminodia : 
anthers 1-celled, transversely 2-valved, introrse. Ovary 3-celled : stigma 3-lobed. Ovules 
numerous in each cavity, anatropous. Capsule ovoid, 3-celled, 3-valved. Seeds numerous, 
angled, the testa loose. : 
1. Galax aphylla L. Scapose, glabrous. Leaves basal; blades leathery, suborbic- 
ular in outline, 4-10 cm. broad, copiously crenate with apiculate teeth, cordate, iris 
petioles several times longer than the blades: scapes erect, solitary or clustered, ri mm 
tall: racemes spike-like, virgate, strict, densely-flowered : pedicels slender, 1-3 mm. aro 
bracts deciduous: calyx 1.5 mm. high; lobes oblong, slightly narrowed at the : , 
3.5-4 mm. long, obtuse, often crisped: stamens not exserted : capsules ovoid, neariy 
mm. long, erect or ascending, acute. 
In dry soil, chiefly in the mountains, Virginia to middle Georgia, a 
and North Carolina. Spring and summer. GALAXY. BEETLE-WEED. 
Order 2. PRIMULALES. 
Herbs, shrubs, trees or vines. Leaves alternate or opposite, som ad 
basal: blades mostly entire. Flowers perfect or polygamo-dioecious, variously 
nd near the coast of Virginia 
etimes all 
